There were rumors of a former champion making an appearence on Raw, and many assumed that it could be Andrade, the former NXT champion that recently finished up with AEW. In a cleaver switch, Jinder Mahal was introduced as the featured former champion before he was interrupted by The Rock, who made a surprise return to the organization. Considering that Jinder is rarely on television, that tells you how memorable his 2017 title reign was. The Rock actually made a surprise Smackdown appearence a few months ago alongside Pat McAfee.
The segment was rather typical, The Rock verbally jabbed the heel, channeling The Iron Sheik from heaven to insult Jinder before a scuffle saw the Hollywood star dispatch Mahal out of the ring. However, it was The Rock’s concluding line that has the wrestling world buzzing, particularly ahead of Royal Rumble season. Dwayne Johnson made reference to the head of the table, the moniker of longtime champion Roman Reigns, who Johnson was initially in discussions to compete against a few years ago, but the scripting on the scenario couldn’t be agreed upon at the time. Prior to the previously mentioned Smackdown segment with McAfee, Johnson made an appearence on one of his ESPN shows earlier the same day, confirming that there were tentative plans at one point for a Rock/Roman bout.
Some thought that the much-anticipated contest would take place in Hollywood last year, given the movie star’s connection to the location, but the promotion of the XFL, which Johnson bought previously, prevented him from accepting the match. Taking into account all of his outside ventures and busy filming schedule, it’s puzzling that now would be the time that he could work a Wrestlemania, especially with the recent conclusion of the SAG-AFTRA strike, as that would imply more project would be lined up for him. Either way, The Rock doesn’t drop that line unless there was something on the table for an eventual meeting with Roman since it wouldn’t make sense to tease the match without something scheduled.
But, what about Cody Rhodes?
Since he returned to the organization nearly two years ago, Cody proved that he can be a top guy in the WWE. Sure, it took an ambitious exit from the organization in 2016, but Rhodes showed that he wasn’t just a mid-card comedy act and made himself a much bigger star in the process. Since he returned to WWE, he’s more or less the top baby face in the company. He works like a main event star, he’s still in the prime of his career, and he’s a great representative for the publicly-traded corporation.
As I wrote previously, I’m happy I was wrong when I thought that Cody wouldn’t be able to maintain his momentum after the completely disappointing loss to Reigns at Wrestlemania last year. Cody kept his status as the top baby face, mostly because of his physical series of matches with Brock Lesnar, and the argument could be made that a victory over Reigns now would have even more cache than it did last year.
That being said, did The Rock’s implied involvement for a match against Roman move Cody away from the main event of the biggest show of the year?
In truth, it’s a good problem at have because when a company has a few legitimate options for their biggest show of the year, it tells you at the very least, the organization is heading in the right direction. At the same time, it can be a tricky scenario because there are many different aspects to consider, both for the current and long-term business of the corporation.
Since the buzz around The Rock’s implied participation began, there was speculation about where the bout could happen, with some rumors that it might actually be in Australia for The Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event in February. While the company is getting paid a fee to bring the show to the country, I still think it’s very doubtful that The Rock’s long-awaited return to the ring will be for a show that will air at 9 AM on the east coast. Granted, the pay-per-view aspect doesn’t come into play nearly as much as it did in the past because of the Peacock platform, but the most publicity and thus the biggest boost to the stock price would be to have The Rock at Wrestlemania, a time frame when even main stream media outlets mention the staple of the pro wrestling calendar.
I understand that the Saudi events yield the biggest profit margin, but the fact remains that there’s intrinsic value to the success of WM beyond just the hefty revenue it brings in for the company and the host city. If Wrestlemania is a huge success, it adds more brand awareness to the main stream conversation and keeps the WWE strong among the general public. So, that’s why management will want to promote Dwayne Johnson at its signature event, not a show on a different continent.
Make no mistake about it, getting The Rock for a match, especially at his age and when he clearly doesn’t need the money, is too good of a chance to pass up for WWE management. There would potentially be record-setting business to be done with his involvement, as it would be the first match he had at a two-night WM, essentially doubling the gate compared to when he worked with John Cena a decade ago.
At the same time, solidifying Cody Rhodes as the top guy and the one to finally dethrone Roman is a move that would theoretically help keep business strong for the next several years, as Cody takes the torch as the top guy in the industry. So, it’s a delicate situation, as The Rock’s spotlight does mega business right now, whereas Cody’s coronation would be an investment in the future.
I don’t know the answer, but I don’t think there’s a way to stretch Cody’s journey to the championship for another year. Keep in mind, he stayed at the top of the card because he worked with Brock Lesnar, and there are very few, if any other opponents that can bring the big fight atmosphere to a feud the way Lesnar can.
Anything can happen so the Elimination Chamber scenario is possible, but given the priority to draw the general public, I’d say that it’s a safe bet that The Rock/Reigns happens at Wrestlemania. I will also say that if Cody fails to capture the title at WM or is booked in a mid-card bout, the fans will lose faith in him, and it will be a missed opportunity to cement him as the top star in the business. Since Roman has been so dominate, regardless of how this scenario unfolds, he should probably take a hiatus from WWE programming, despite his limited schedule now. This is only my two cents on the matter, but I’d find a way for The Rock vs. Roman to take place for the championship on one night of WM before the Cody/Roman showdown on night two of the event.
Keep in mind, The Rock is still a guest star, Cody and Roman are going to be tasked with drawing for the company well after Dwayne Johnson is back on the set of his next film. It’s a happy medium to give the audience the Samoan clash and the natural story that goes along with it, but still delivers a conclusion to the storyline that would see Cody win the championship in honor of Dusty. As unnecessary as two nights of Wrestlemania usually is from a storyline perspective, this is a situation where the company can use it to maximize not only the money it can draw now, but set up for the ability to draw money in the future.
What do you think? Share your thoughts, opinions, feedback, and anything else that was raised on Twitter @PWMania and Facebook.com/PWMania.
Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
E mail [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @jimlamotta89
